Toy weapon



July 1,1930.

gwvwritoo l/o a 6. 7221/0/- i I i II-EH Q L, G. TAYLOR TOY WEAPON Filed Oct. 2, 192a Patented July 1, 1930 PATENT oFFicE LLOY D G. TAYLOR, OF ELLICOTT CITY, MARYLAND TOY WEAPON Application filed October 2, 1928. Serial No. 309,886.

My invention relates to t-oy Weapons. The principal object of my invention is to devise a toy weapon, preferably in the form of a rifle or pistol, which is arranged to control and utilize the propulsive power embodied in the missile discharged by the weapon.

A further object is to devise a weapon of the character described and to associate therewith mechanism for exploding percussion caps, the operative force for which is derived from the missile discharged by the weapon.

A further object is to devise a weapon as above set forth which is characterized by simplicity of design, low cost of manufacture, and whose use is marked by a reasonable degree of accuracy against designated .tarets. g Toy weapons of the general class to which the present invention belongs employ usual- 1y either compressed air, or a spring actuated plunger, objects through the air. These forms of construction, however, are unduly complicated, relatively costly to manufacture, and are characterized by early breakages or failure to operate for other reasons.

With a view of providing a weapon which is simple and rugged in construction, the device embodied in the present application has been designed; Essentially, itcomprises a supporting member in the form of a rifle or pistol, along whose barrel on .the exterior thereof is stretched a simple rubber band, or

a special form of missile having the elastic i in the opening 13 below properties of such a band. Preferably, the

band is stretched between the front sight and,

the hammer as. limiting points, so that when the latter is released, the energystored with- 'in the stretched band causes it to pivot about the front sight and to be propelled endwise through the air.

In order to improve the realism .of the weapon, the hammer mechanism has been arranged to explode a, percussion cap of the type commonly used in the so-called cap pistol, the driving power for the hammer bein derived from the stretched band. It will e obvious, therefore, that my improved as a means of pr0pelling weapon may not only employ as a missile an object which is easily obtained everywhere, but that it may be manufactured at low cost,- thus rendering. the same highly advantageous for use by children. These and further objects of my invention will be set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompany ing drawing, and the novel means by which said objects are efl'ectuated will be definitely pointed out in the claim. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved weapon, partly in section, the various elements being in readiness to discharge a missile.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a ortion of Fig. 1, showing the trigger an hammer mechanism int-he cocked position.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 33 in Fig. '2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig.4 is a view similar to ,Fig. 2, but showing the relation of the trigger and hammer in the firing position.

The numeral 10 represents generally a toy cap pistol which is provided with the usual pocket 11 for the reception of apercussion cap 12. An openin 13 extends through said pistol adjacent said pocket and a. hammer arm 14, generally L-shaped in outline, is'

pivotally supported therein as at 15 on the ex- 39 tremity of the base of the arm. The vertical limb of the arm 14 extends upward above the upper surface of the pistol and has formed thereon a striking head 16 for coactionwith the pocket 11. v A trigger lever 17- is pivotally supported t e arm 14, the lower portion 18 thereof extending below the lower surface of the piston and being curved to fit the index finger of the hand. The upper portion 19 of said-trigger is rounded as at 20 for engagement with the base of the arni 14 when the various parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. For a purpose hereinafter explained, thepivot 21 of said trigger is disposed in alignment with the median line of the vertical limb of the arm 14 andwhen said trigger and arm are in the cooked position as shown in Fig. 2, the porsaid limb and accordingly with said pivot.

cocked position and to return the same thereto after firing, one end of a spring 22 coacts with the portion 19 of said lever and the other end of said spring is slidably mounted in a pocket 23 provided in the body portion "of the pistol. A stop 24 is formed on the pistol on the opposite side of the lever 17 from the spring 22 in order to limit the movement of said lever in that direction.

A notch 25, serving as arear sight, may be provided on the upper end of the arm 14 and aligned therewith is a front sight 26, preferably hook-shaped, on the muzzle end of the pistol. An elastic band 27 is stretched over the sight 26 and the upper end of the arm 14 and may be provided witha ball 28 on the end adjacent the arm 14 to improve the ballistic property of said band. The band 27 constitutes the missile of the weapon and it may be a simple rubber band as shown,

or it may be arranged in some fanciful manner, provided that some portion of the length of the-latter is elastic and capable of being stretched as above.

Assuming that the parts of the weapon are disposed as shown in Fig. 1, it will be obvious that the tendency of the band 27 to resume its normal length causes the arm 14 to bear downwardly against the nose 20 of the trigger 17, but as the portion 19 and pivot 2l'of the latter are directly aligned with the vertical limb of said arm through the action of the spring 22 and thestop 24, said arm is immobilized against movement. If now the curved portion 18 of the trigger is moved toward the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, the nose 20 will be freed from contact with the hammer 14 and the latter will be rotated downwardly by the band 27, thus causing the release of said-band and a driving of i the striking head 16 against the cap 12 to explode the same. The pocket 11 also acts as a stop for the arm 14 and the various parts then occupy the relative positions shown i 4. Wli en released, theup er end of the arm 14 moves substantially elow the plane of the lower edge of the band 27 and the contracting force of the latter acting against the front sight 26 causes apivoting of the band thereabout and an endwise propulsion through the air in approximate alignment with its original position. The-band 27 may be fired with a reasonable degree of accurac tra ectory obtained depending upon the size and strength of said band. It will be understood, however, that other forms of missiles may be employed, the only requirement being that it be capable of being stretched over thefront sight and the hammer. Likewise, other forms may be substituted for the ball 28.

against targets, the character of the After firing, the hammer may be returned to its cocked position, whereupon the spring 22 will move the trigger to its locking position with said hammer. This mechanism is intended to be representative generally of such means, for it is contemplated that other schemes may be adopted without affecting the centralthought involved, which is the discharge of a missile in the manner above described. However, the mechanism disclosed renders possible the utilization of the contracting force of the band to effect an explo- S1011 of the cap 12 without requiring an additional spring for actuating the arm 14, and hence improves the realism of the weapon.

While I have shown one set of elements and combinations thereof for efl'ectuating my improved toy weapon, it will be understoodthat the same is for the purpose of illustrat1on only and in nowise to limit my-device to the exact forms and structures shown, for many changes may be made therein with-out departing from the spirit of'my invention.

I claim:

A toy weapon comprising a supporting body portion, a fixed arm and an arm having an offset pivotv on said portion,- an elastic member stretched between said arms, a trigger pivoted on said portion in alignment with said pivoted arm when in thecocked position, a stop, and a spring pressing said trigger against said stop for maintaining the trigger in said position until released.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my si nature.

LLOYD G. TA OR. 

